Question

    Directions: In each question below, a sentence is given with a part of it printed in bold type. That part may contain a grammatical error. Each sentence is followed by phrases (A), (B), (C) and (D). Find out which phrase should replace the phrase given in bold to correct the error, if there is any, and to make the sentence grammatically meaningful and correct. If the sentence is correct as it is and ‘No correction is required’ , mark (E) as the answer.

    Years ago, in the town of Istanbul, there was lot of

    shops and folks came out of the hollows from miles around to shop.
    A there was a lot of shops and folks came out of the hollows Correct Answer Incorrect Answer
    B there was lots of shops and folks came out of the hollows Correct Answer Incorrect Answer
    C there were a lot of shop and folks came out of the hollows Correct Answer Incorrect Answer
    D there were lots of shops and folks came out of the hollows Correct Answer Incorrect Answer
    E No improvement required Correct Answer Incorrect Answer

    Solution

    ‘Lots of’ is more informal than ‘a lot of’. ‘A lot of’ and ‘lots of’ can both be used with plural countable nouns and with singular uncountable nouns for affirmatives, negatives, and questions. Here, since there were many shops, ‘a lot of’ or ‘lots of’ should be used and since it is plural, ‘there were’ should be used. Years ago, in the town of Istanbul, there were lots of shops and folks came out of the hollows from miles around to shop.

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